


Hard Feelings

by tethrasing



Category: Pillars of Eternity
Genre: Cipher Watcher, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-13
Updated: 2018-06-13
Packaged: 2019-05-21 19:56:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14921861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tethrasing/pseuds/tethrasing
Summary: Aloth comforts the Watcher after Eder's personal quest, Fragments of a Scattered Faith.





	Hard Feelings

“It’s what they talked about that’s important. What they’d say?” Edér pleaded.

 

“I don’t know,” said Brianna, pity in her eyes.

 

“That’s not funny. Come on, that metal sun, my brother touched it. You saw where he went. Now what’d he talk about with Waidwen? Why’d my brother fight for Readceras?” Edér said, his voice rising in volume as he went.

 

“Do you see me laughing, Edér? I wish I had something better to tell you, but I just don’t know. I didn’t see them speak to each other,” Brianna responded, raising her voice to match Eder’s.

 

Edér’s face fell. “…guess that’s it,” he whispered.

 

“We’ll find some other way. There has to be another way to figure this out,” Brianna said, looking around as if the answer would be in the nearby trees.

 

Edér sounded resigned when he replied, “I don’t think we will.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Later that night, the Watcher and her companions were camped in Dyrford Crossing. Aloth was keeping first watch, leafing through his grimoire, when he heard soft noises coming from Brianna’s direction. Assuming she was having another nightmare, Aloth closed his grimoire and moved to wake her up. When he got to her side, however, he realized that not only was Brianna not having nightmare, she wasn’t even asleep.

 

“Oh, Aloth,” Brianna said, sniffling and wiping tears off her cheeks, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bother you.”

 

“Brianna, you are never a bother,” Aloth said gently.

 

Brianna gave him a small smile before sitting up and wiping the rest of the tears off of her wet face.

 

Aloth hesitated a moment, before bringing one hand to rest gingerly on Brianna’s bicep. “Is this about what happened earlier, with Edér?”

 

She nodded, looking down and wringing her hands together. “What’s the point in being a cipher if you can’t use it to help people?” she questioned as fresh tears began to fall from her eyes.

 

Aloth thought for a moment about what to say before he began speaking, “This may be of little comfort, but it isn’t your fault that Edér didn’t get the answers he wanted. Frankly, it was unfair of him to ask so much of you. We all know you did everything you could. Edér is disappointed right now, but I think that will fade in time and he will come to appreciate what you've done for him,” Aloth gave Brianna’s arm a gentle squeeze, “Try not to be too hard on yourself in the meantime.”

 

Brianna laughed quietly. “You ask so much of me, Cofiser. Being hard on myself is what I’m best at.”

 

Aloth smiled at Brianna. “And that is why I remind you to be kind to yourself.”

 

Brianna looked thoughtfully at Aloth for a moment before saying, “I don’t know what I would do without you, Aloth. I think…I think I would be quite lost.”

 

Aloth was suddenly very thankful it was too dark for Brianna to see the blush in his cheeks and ears. “That is very kind of you to say, but I’m sure you would manage just fine without me.”

 

“Oh, sure,” Brianna said, “I’d _manage,_ but instead of you, I’d have to bring Durance everywhere, so I wouldn’t be very happy about it would I?”

 

The two share a quiet laugh together at the priest’s expense.

 

“Thank you, Aloth. For what you said. I appreciate it. And I’ll try not to be too hard on myself,” Brianna said.

 

“You are welcome,” Aloth replied, “Perhaps you should try to get some sleep.”

 

Brianna worried at her bottom lip with her teeth for a moment before she said, “Do you mind if I keep watch with you? I don’t think I’m going to be able to sleep for a while.”

 

“Not at all, I could use the company,” Aloth said. He helped Brianna stand and the pair moved over to where Aloth had been keeping watch by the fire.

 

Aloth sat down and opened up his grimoire. Brianna pulled out a novel from her pack, sat down on Aloth’s left, and started reading. The two read in companionable silence, occasionally broken by Brianna asking Aloth what he was working on or Aloth asking Brianna what in the story made her laugh. After a while, Brianna laid down on her back and used her pack as a pillow, but kept reading.

 

When she started yawning, Aloth said, “Brianna, perhaps you should consider sleeping?”

 

Brianna gave a sigh. “Why are you always right and sensible?” she asked, pouting.

 

Aloth chuckled as she marked her place and put the book down. Once Brianna closed her eyes, she was asleep within minutes. Aloth hoped that tonight she would have peaceful dreams.


End file.
